'The Sun Always Shines On Redding'

Mark Twain was friends with the famous inventor, Thomas Edison, who had visited him in Redding in 1909.

"Mark Twain was interested in innovations," said Robert Morton, former president of Mark Twain Library's Board of Directors. "He bought one of the first typewriters in 1875. Too bad he never used it."

On Monday morning, Morton spoke to an audience gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating a new innovation for the library founded by the great author — the installation of solar panels on its roof.

"What a wonderful moment this is in the long history of Mark Twain Library," said Beth Dominianni, director of the library.

Sound Solar Systems, a clean energy installation and development company based in Old Greenwich, partnered with Santa Energy of Bridgeport to make it all possible. The project received funding from the Connecticut Zero Emission Renewable Credit program through Connecticut Light & Power.

Santa Energy will own the system for 10 years and the library has the option to buy it back in six years. Santa Energy will sell the power produced to the library at a discount from the grid. The system is projected to reduce the library's draw from the grid by 39%.

"When they came to me and asked for help there was nothing I could say but yes," Bill Santa, CEO of Santa Energy, said of being approached by the library board. "And you know the sun always shines on Redding."

First Selectman Natalie Ketcham presented Santa with a framed photo of Samuel Clemons from the library.

State Rep. John Shaban, the ranking Republican on the legislature's Environment Committee, said pursuing alternative energy sources is not a partisan issue. "We all want to do what's happening here today," he said.

State Sen. Toni Boucher said there is "a quiet revolution" going on in which the pursuit of a variety of sources of energy is reducing the United State's dependence on foreign oil and lowering oil prices.

"I am so proud of this community for doing it here at the Mark Twain Library," she said.

Tony Savino, co-founder of Sound Solar Systems, noted how the number of hurdles to get the panels on the roof was "mind boggling". He said, "It's really a thrill when you can finally pull it together, sit back and turn it on."